Wuchang Uprising

The Wuchang Uprising (10 October-1 December 1911) was an uprising launched by the Tongmenghui secret society against the Qing dynasty in the Wuchang District (now a part of the city of Wuhan), leading to the Xinhai Revolution a year later. 2,000 revolutionaries went up against the Qing officials after the Qing government decided to nationalize all railroads (the government planned to use the money to pay back debts to the European powers in the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion), and some elements of the military decided to assist the revolutionaries by starting a mutiny. The revolutionaries took over the city and telegraphed other provinces, asking them to declare their independence from the Qing dynasty, and 15 provinces rose in rebellion against the Qing government. The Wuchang uprising would lead to a large uprising against the government that would culminate in the abdication of the young Emperor Puyi and the establishment of the Republic of China.